mg.dictatorofcrime-第11部分

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challenge　from　Allard；　and　was　ready　for　the　duel。
　　What　that　battle　of　courtesy　and　wits　would　produce；　events　would　soon　tell。　Certainly；　however；　matters　could　not　long　remain　in　a　preliminary　stage。
　　There　was　nothing　humorous　in　the　thought　that　sprang　to　Margo's　mind；　indeed；　she　was　considering　it　as　something　very　serious。
　　Margo　was　thinking　that　Luis　Castenago　might　classify　Kent　Allard　as　a　special　type　of　guest；　despite　the　fact　that　the　banquet　had　been　two　courses　short！
　　
　　
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　　To　others；　it　might　have　seemed　that　Luis　Castenago　still　considered　it　important　to　entertain　his　guests；　but　Margo　deemed　otherwise。　She　was　certain…too　certain…that　the　dictator　was　trying　to　get　rid　of　them；　when　they　returned　to　the　reception　room。
　　Of　course；　Castenago　had　an　excuse；　and　a　good　one；　that　he　put　quite　blandly。
　　〃You　must　see　the　casino；〃　he　assured　them。　〃It　is　one　of　the　sights　of　Libertad：　an　effort　to　produce　international　friendship；　because；　if　ever　all　men　are　brothers；　it　is　at　the　gaming　table。　This　is　the　most　popular　hour　at　the　casino；　so　I　shall　arrange　an　escort　to　take　you　there　without　delay。〃
　　Castenago　bowed　himself　through　a　curtained　doorway；　which　happened　to　be　close　to　the　chair　that　Margo　had　taken。　Turning　slightly；　Margo　caught　a　view　of　the　edge　of　the　doorway　and　saw　the　man　that　Castenago　met　beyond。
　　He　was　a　hard…faced　man；　in　a　captain's　uniform；　evidently　the　successor　of　Colin　Nayre　as　mander　of　the　palace　guards。
　　Margo　was　just　near　enough　to　overhear　the　words　that　passed　between　them。
　　〃This　Allard　may　mean　trouble；〃　said　Castenago。　〃I　shall　order　a　search　of　his　room　at　the　hotel；　and　double　the　guards　at　Peridor's。〃
　　〃Shall　I　attend　to　those　details；　excellency？〃　the　captain　inquired。
　　〃No。　You　have　a　different　duty；〃　Castenago　told　him。　〃You　are　to　escort　Allard　and　his　friends　to　the　casino…〃
　　〃And　watch　them　while　they　are　there…〃
　　〃No；　no；　captain。　Again；　you　are　wrong。　You　will　return　here。　Others　will　watch　Allard　while　he　is　at　the　casino。〃
　　Margo　was　turned　away　when　Castenago　came　from　the　curtained　doorway；　acpanied　by　the　hard…faced　captain。　She　couldn't　tell　whether　Castenago　was　eyeing　her；　so　she　decided　not　to　speak　to　Allard　until　they　were　in　their　car。
　　Unfortunately；　the　captain　took　it　upon　himself　to　assign　the　guests　to　their　places　in　the　automobiles。　Margo　and　Allard　were　placed　in　different　cars。
　　They　rode　to　the　casino　by　a　roundabout　route；　which　convinced　Margo　that　the　captain　was　taking　time　while　Castenago　arranged　the　hotel　search　and　the　doubling　of　the　guards　at　Peridor's。　They　passed　Peridor's　residence　on　the　way；　and　so　far　as　Margo　could　observe；　the　soldiers　numbered　no　more　than　they　had　earlier。
　　Again；　Margo　saw　the　marimba　player；　who　by　this　time　had　gathered　quite　a　crowd　about　him。　The　citizens　of　Libertad　certainly　enjoyed　night　life　when　entertainment　was　free。
　　As　for　visitors；　they　were　ready　to　pay　for　their　entertainment。　That　was　evident　when　the　cars　reached　the　casino。　The　place　was　well　thronged；　and　Allard's　friends　caught　the　fever。　They　all　wanted　to　play　roulette；　Margo　included；　because　she　believed　she　would　thus　gain　a　chance　to　speak　to　Allard。
　　She　did；　after　the　captain　had　introduced　them　all　to　Pierre　Treban；　the　dapper　Frenchman　who　operated　the　casino。　Finding　a　place　beside　Allard；　Margo　spoke　in　an　undertone　that　was　covered　by　the　rattle　of　chips　about　them。
　　〃Be　careful　when　the　captain　leaves；〃　said　Margo。　〃Others　will　be　watching　you。〃
　　Allard　lifted　his　eyebrows　slightly；　indicating　that　he　wanted　to　hear　more。
　　〃Castenago　is　ordering　a　search　of　your　room；〃　Margo　added。　〃He　is　also　doubling　the　guard　at　Peridor's；　in　case　you　should　try　to　visit　there。〃
　　Allard's　face　was　so　immobile　that　Margo　doubted　if　he　believed　her。　She　explained　how　she　had　overheard　the　conversation　between　Castenago　and　the　captain。
　　With　a　slight　nod　that　certified　Margo's　statements；　Allard　lifted　a　few　chips　and　placed　them　on　the　board。　Margo　did　the　same。　It　was　good　business；　showing　interest　in　roulette　to　hide　something　else。
　　When　Margo　looked　again；　a　few　minutes　later；　Allard　was　gone！
　　
　　
　　ACTUALLY；　Allard　hadn't　needed　Margo's　information；　though　it　was　helpful。
　　Copying　the　example　of　other　players；　he　strolled　from　the　side　door　of　the　casino　and　took　a　walk　in　the　garden。
　　It　was　evidently　their　way　of　changing　bad　luck　for　good；　but　Allard　was　using　it　as　a　preliminary　process。　What　he　saw…or；　rather；　did　not　see　…
　　fitted　with　well…formed　conclusions。
　　The　workers　who　had　been　so　busily　engaged　that　afternoon；　had　laid　off　during　the　evening。
　　Strolling　back　into　the　casino；　Allard　observed　its　many　surrounding　pillars　that　supported　a　balcony；　where　people　could　watch　the　play　on　the　gambling　floor。　A　good　spot　for　hidden　observers；　that　balcony。
　　The　pillars　made　good　shelter　too；　especially　because　of　darkened　doors　beyond　them。　The　casino　was　singularly　lacking　of　police　and　soldiers；　nor　were　any　gatomontes　in　sight。
　　All　of　which　assured　Kent　Allard　that　he　was　probably　being　watched。　What　Margo　Lane　had　said　merely　proved　the　point。　So　Allard　calmly　crossed　the　floor　and　went　out　by　the　main　door。
　　In　the　driveway；　he　beckoned　to　a　taxicab　which　was　at　the　head　of　a　short　line。　Taking　the　cab；　he　told　the　driver　to　take　him　to　the　Imperial　Hotel。
　　From　the　moment　that　the　cab　pulled　away；　Allard　knew　that　he　was　being　followed。　The　car　that　took　up　his　trail　came　sliding　from　darkness　on　the　far　side　of　the　casino　building。
　　Allard　began　making　suggestions　to　his　own　driver；　regarding　shorter　routes　to　the　hotel。　Sometimes；　he　told　the　driver　to　go　slower；　at　other　moments；　Allard　called　for　speed。
　　He　ordered　more　speed　as　they　swung　into　a　narrow　street；　then；　suddenly；　he　told　the　driver　to　take　the　next　turn　to　the　left。　The　order　came　so　unexpectedly；　that　the　driver　had　to　jam　the　brakes　as　he　rounded　the　corner。
　　The　ancient　cab　rattled　heavily；　and　with　the　clatter　came　the　closing　of　a　door；　something　that　the　driver　did　not　hear。
　　Very　neatly；　Kent　Allard　had　dropped　from　the　cab　just　as　it　passed　the　corner。　His　strides　across　the　sidewalk　were　very　rapid；　they　carried　him　to　a　narrow　alleyway；　which　he　reached　just　as　the　trailing　car　swung　into　sight。
　　Allard　didn't　have　time　to　observe　the　car's　occupants；　but　that　wasn't　important　at　the　moment。　In　their　turn；　they　didn't　see　him　at　all；　which　happened　to　be　very　important。
　　As　soon　as　the　car　had　passed；　Allard　strode　deeper　into　the　narrow　passage　between　buildings。　It　wasn't　an　alley　in　the　usual　sense；　but　merely　a　rift；　of　slightly　more　than　shoulder　width。　The　walls　flanking　the　space　were　white；　and　couldn't　have　offered　a　chance　at　concealment　in　the　glaring　daytime。　But　this　was　night；　and　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　rendered　the　narrow　way　obscure。
　　Where　the　passage　widened　into　a　tiny　court；　Allard　tried　a　door　in　the　wall　on　the　left。　The　door　opened　and　he　stepped　into　a　small　storeroom；　lined　with　shelves　of　merchandise。
　　Using　a　tiny　flashlight；　Allard　recognized　the　package　that　he　had　sent　from　the　hotel；　that　afternoon。　It　was　tied　just　as　he　had　sent　it。
　　Opening　the　package；　he　brought　out　a　slouch　hat；　a　black　cloak；　and　a　pair　of　thin　gloves。　There　were　no　automatics　in　the　package。　Allard　already　carried　them。　An　aviator　famed　for　landing　in　remote　portions　of　the　jungle　would　be　expected　to　go　about　armed。
　　It　took　but　a　few　moments　for　Allard　to　transform　himself　into　The　Shadow。
　　Instead　of　leaving　by　the　outside　passage；　he　went　through　the　shop　itself。
　　In　New　York；　and　other　American　cities；　The　Shadow　used　various　retreats　where　he　could　change　from　one　guise　to　another。　The　rule　still　applied　to　Libertad；　the　isolated　capital　of　the　remote　banana　republic　of　Centralba！
　　
　　
　　SO　silent　was　the　shop；　that　the　swish　of　The　Shadow's　cloak　was　audible　as　he　passed　through　to　the　front　door；　which　opened　on　another　street；　closer　to　the　Imperial　Hotel。
　　Closed　for　the　night；　the　shop　was　made　to　order　for　The　Shadow's　purposes；　for　its　interior　was　pitch…black；　but　with　no　obstructions　to　delay　a　person　passing　through　it。
　　Evidently　The　Shadow　knew　that　such　would　be　the　case；　for　he　did　not　use　his　flashlight。　Reaching　the　front　door；　he　found　it　as　expected。　It　wasn't　bolted；　it　simply　had　a　heavy　burglar…proof　latch；　which　enabled　The　Shadow　to　step　out　and　leave　the　door　as　he　had　found　it；　by　simply　closing　it　behind　him。
　　Even　outdoors；　The　Shadow　found　his　favorite　habitat：　darkness。　The　door　of　the　shop　was　under　a　projecting　balcony；　which　entirely　cut　off　the　glow　of　the　old…fashioned　street　lamps　so　prevalent　in　Libertad。
　　Keeping　to　the　shelter　of　balconies；　crossing　the　street　at　places　where　the　lights　were　feeble；　The　Shadow　glided　past　a　corner　and　came　upon　the　Plaza　del　Libertador；　opposite　the　Imperial　Hotel。　There　he　paused　within　the　last　fringe　of　darkness。
　　It　was　a　fiesta　night　in　Libertad　which　accounted　for　the　shops　being　closed。　The　populace　had　deserted　the　narrow　streets　for　open　spaces　such　as　the　great　plaza；　and　the　scene　was　one　of　life　and　gaiety。
　　But　The　Shadow　wasn't　interested　in　the　costumery　of　the　merrymakers；　who　were　enjoying　pleasures　that　would　cease　when　the　iron　hand　of　Castenago　tightened。　He　sympathized　with　them　profoundly；　and　wished　that　their　era　of　carefree　revelry　would　long　continue。
　　That；　in　itself；　was　reason　why　The　Shadow's　attention　should　be　centered　elsewhere。　Upon　what　he　learned　tonight；　would　hinge　his　whole　campaign　toward　ending　the　tyranny　of　Luis　Castenago。
　　The　Shadow　looked　across　the　street　to　the　front　of　the　hotel。　He　saw　the　ancient　taxicab　that　he　had　hired　as　Allard。　It　was　the　center　of　much　speculation；　voiced　in　voluble　Spanish；　by　hotel　employees；　police；　and　even　soldiers；　all　picturesque　in　their　assorted　uniforms。
　　Cabs　didn't　often　roll　up　to　the　Imperial　Hotel　without　passengers　inside　them；　unless　they　had　been　ordered。　This　cab　should　have　had　a　passe